In first year lecture there was a presentation by some teachers from a school that had used Docs as a feedback loop in which students would post their writings in a document, invite the classmates and teacher and then reflect or comment on each others writings. I'm a big fan of having students collaborate and present to each other; I think this instills a sense of pride in one's work. I know that I tend to be a little more critical of my own work if I know it will be subject to the scrutiny of peers. I'm curious to find out how else we can use the free use-anywhere software.
I said above that my documents on Google Docs were safe... There is much discussion these days about the security of cloud computing but I'm confident enough in it to save my school work and the like on there. I would be hesitant to stick my SIN, credit cards, and other similar personal information on something like Docs because there is a certain sense of security I have in keeping these things in a safe box under my bed. Having said that, I've purchased numerous things online with a credit card, given my SIN to appropriate websites, and offered up bountiful amounts of personal information to Facebook. What makes these sites more trustworthy? I guess time will tell if Google's omnipresent features are as safe as they claim.
On a side note...
Running a cool techno-based inquiry project is awesome but how does it look in a school with no money? No smartboards, no laptops, no useful computers, no money for field trips and a small budget for supplies. I know this is a technology based class but this is something that has been on my mind since my placement in a school like the one described above.
